After signing a huge offseason contract, Dallas fans could be examining Dak Prescott compared to former Dallas greats. Prescott is entering his sixth season as the Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback. Up to this point, he has been a statistical giant, passing for 17,634 yards. 2020 was the only season Prescott failed to throw for over 3,300 yards—when Prescott suffered a lower leg injury ending his season. Prescott is on track to mark his name in Dallas Cowboys history as one of the all-time great pass throwers.
How Does Dak Prescott Compare to Dallas Quarterback Greats?
Mike McCarthy wanted to do cartwheels in the sand after Cowboys signed Dak Prescott to extensionhttps://t.co/hzY2BJwdgx pic.twitter.com/4lHUWBqGZW
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) March 26, 2021
In Prescott’s first season, he led Dallas to a 13-3 record, winning the NFC East and securing a first-round bye. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 23 touchdowns with four interceptions. Prescott posted similarly productive seasons until 2019 when the former Mississippi State Bulldog erupted for 4,902 yards and 30 touchdowns. Prescott’s offensive production speaks for itself, but how does he stack up against former Cowboy greats like Tony Romo, Troy Aikman, and Roger Staubach?
Dak Prescott vs. Tony Romo
The closest statistical gap is Dak Prescott compared to Tony Romo. Romo started his first game at quarterback for Dallas in 2006 posting a 6-4 record. The undrafted free agent led Dallas to several winning seasons in the late 2000s, going 13-3, 8-5, and 11-5 in 2007, 2008, and 2009 respectively. Romo would have to wait until 2014 when the Cowboys went 12-4. Romo passed for over 34,000 yards and nearly 250 touchdowns with a 78-49 record.
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Romo’s Playoff Woes
Romo’s shortcomings were evident late in the season as the Cowboys continuously fell short in the months of November & December and in the playoffs. Perhaps his most infamous moment occurred when he muffed a snap on an easy field goal attempt by Martin Gramatica. In 2007 the Cowboys were down 21-20 in the playoffs to the Seattle Seahawks. Romo fumbled the snap on a potential 19-yard game-winning field goal. Tony Romo went on to become the passing and touchdown leader for the Dallas Cowboys posting a 2-4 playoff record with 4 appearances in 13 career seasons with the team before losing his starting job to Dak Prescott in 2016.
Dak Prescott vs. Troy Aikman
Troy Aikman was another former Cowboys great. Aikman passed for over 32,000 yards and 165 touchdowns in 12 seasons with the Cowboys. Aikman was known for his success where Romo’s reputation floundered. Aikman made the playoffs eight times throughout his career. The 2006 hall of fame inductee won Super Bowls in 1992, 1993, and 1995 for the Cowboys. Although he is not on par with Romo, Aikman is consistently regarded as the best Cowboys signal-caller since Roger Staubach.
Dak Prescott vs. Roger Staubach
Dak Prescott compared to Roger Staubach is team and career success versus individual statistical success. Staubach played for the Cowboys from 1969 to 1979. The former Cowboys quarterback threw for over 22,000 yards and over 150 touchdowns and had a career record of 85-29 including Super Bowls in 1971 and 1977. Staubach had a career playoff record of 11-6 and was selected to six pro-bowls during his career.
Stats or Titles?
So how does the young Dallas phenom stack up against these former Cowboys greats? Dak is off to a much better start from an offensive production standpoint compared to all three. However, Aikman and Staubach had both won a Super Bowl within their first three seasons with the team while Prescott has one playoff win in his first five seasons.
Prescott is well on his way to becoming the next great Cowboys quarterback. The perennial pro-bowler has just signed a four-year contract locking him in for the foreseeable future. With the salary cap shrinking to $182.5 million, Dallas has elected to backload Prescott’s contract to ease his cap hit. The Cowboys and Dak Prescott need to strike while the proverbial iron is hot and while Prescott’s salary cap space is at its smallest.
Prescott has yet to make a deep playoff run, but the young quarterback continues to show progress and get better from season to season. Prescott has an opportunity for multiple playoff appearances over the next four seasons playing in the NFC East—a division no team seems eager to take control of.
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